# Manx Primary Source Archive — Transcription

**Source image:** `20260218_132500.jpg`  
**Transcribed:** 2026-02-25 19:26  
**Method:** Automated (Claude Batch API — claude-opus-4-6)

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4^th. . . . . . . . . And this Defendant doth in like manner admit that the said prosecu[tor]
John Taubman executed the said Office and Station of Deemster (which is an
Office of great Importance and Consequence in this Isle) during his said Uncle[s]
Indisposition And that upon the death of his said late Uncle he obtained a
Commission from the Honourable Governor and was sworn Deemster, until
his Grace's pleasure was further known, But this Defendant verily
believes the said Commission was obtained by his the said John Taubman's
warmest Sollicitations. That no one desired him to offer his Service And th[at]
many Candidates to that Office show the Emergencies of the Public were n[ot]
the greatest —

5^th. . . . . . . . . . But this Defendant doth utterly deny that he ever dispersed
any groundless or idle Invectives against the said prosecutor John Taubm[an]
tending to influence the public Voice against him, or to serve any private
End whatsoever — But the Defendant admits that when the Honourable
Governor told the Defendant that he intended to appoint the said
prosecutor John Taubman to succeed his said Uncle in the said Office of
Deemster and to recommend him to His Grace the Lord of this Isle, the
Defendant said he was sorry for it, for that the Defendant proposed to
sollicit his Honour for that Office in favour of the Attorney General, And
added that he could not help observing to his Honour that the said prosecutor
John Taubman while he acted as Deputy Deemster had appeared in many
Causes in Chancery in a manner which [above line: this Def^t humbly] apprehended to be very
unbecoming the Character and Dignity of that Office but least his
Honour should suspect the Defendants Opinion proceeded from prejudice
the Defendant desired his Honour would suspend his Judgment till the
Defendant had laid his reasons and Vouchers before his Honour And the
Defendant did soon afterwards deliver draughts of six — Several B[ills]
in Chancery which were of the handwriting of him the said prosecutor John
Taubman and then depending which Information was so far from being
secret or clandestine that the Defendant at the same time told his Honou[r]